Jeremiah

Jeremiah 9:4–9

4“Let everyone guard against his neighbor;

do not trust any brother,

for every brother deals craftily,

and every friend spreads slander.

5Each one betrays his friend;

no one tells the truth.

They have taught their tongues to lie;

they wear themselves out committing iniquity.

6You dwella in the midst of deception;

in their deceit they refuse to know Me,”

declares the LORD.

7Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says:

“Behold, I will refine them and test them,

for what else can I do

because ofb the daughter of My people?

8Their tongues are deadly arrows;

they speak deception.

With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor,

but in his heart he sets a trap for him.

9Should I not punish them for these things?

declares the LORD.

Should I not avenge Myself

on such a nation as this?”

Footnotes

  • a 9:6 That is, Jeremiah dwells (the Hebrew is singular)
  • b 9:7 LXX because of the wickedness of

Read all of Jeremiah 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Jeremiah 9:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Let everyoneאִ֤ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
guardהִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּhiš·šā·mê·rūVerb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine pluralH8104 keep, watch, preserve
againstוְעַל־wə·‘al-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5921 height
his neighborמֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙mê·rê·‘ê·hūPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7453 shouting, roar
do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
trustתִּבְטָ֑חוּtiḇ·ṭā·ḥūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH982 trust
anyכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
brotherאָ֖ח’āḥNoun - masculine singularH251 brother
forכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
everyכָל־ḵālNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
brotherאָח֙’āḥNoun - masculine singularH251 brother
deals craftilyעָק֣וֹב‘ā·qō·wḇVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH6117 follow at the heel
and everyוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
friendרֵ֖עַrê·a‘Noun - masculine singularH7453 shouting, roar
spreadsיַהֲלֹֽךְ׃ya·hă·lōḵVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
slanderרָכִ֥ילrā·ḵîlNoun - masculine singularH7400 slander, > tale-bearer, informer

Jeremiah 9:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Each oneוְאִ֤ישׁwə·’îšConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
betraysיְהָתֵ֔לּוּyə·hā·ṯêl·lūVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH2048 deceive, mock
his friendבְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙bə·rê·‘ê·hūPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7453 shouting, roar
noלֹ֣אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
one tellsיְדַבֵּ֑רוּyə·ḏab·bê·rūVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1696 speak
the truthוֶאֱמֶ֖תwe·’ĕ·meṯConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singularH571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
They have taughtלִמְּד֧וּlim·mə·ḏūVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person common pluralH3925 exercise in, learn
their tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֛םlə·šō·w·nāmNoun - common singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3956 tongue
to lieדַּבֶּר־dab·ber-Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH1696 speak
they wear themselves outנִלְאֽוּ׃nil·’ūVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3811 be weary, impatient
committing iniquityהַעֲוֵ֥הha·‘ă·wêhVerb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteH5753 bend, twist

Jeremiah 9:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
You dwellשִׁבְתְּךָ֖šiḇ·tə·ḵāVerb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singularH3427 sit, remain, dwell
in the midstבְּת֣וֹךְbə·ṯō·wḵPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8432 midst
of deceptionמִרְמָ֑הmir·māhNoun - feminine singularH4820 deceit, treachery
in their deceitבְּמִרְמָ֛הbə·mir·māhPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH4820 deceit, treachery
they refuseמֵאֲנ֥וּmê·’ă·nūVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person common pluralH3985 refuse
to knowדַֽעַת־ḏa·‘aṯ-Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH3045 know
Meאוֹתִ֖י’ō·w·ṯîDirect object marker; first person common singularH853 mark of the accusative
declaresנְאֻם־nə·’um-Noun - masculine singular constructH5002 utterance
the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

Jeremiah 9:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Thereforeלָכֵ֗ןlā·ḵênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest
this is whatכֹּ֤הkōhAdverbH3541 thus, here
the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
of Hostsצְבָא֔וֹתṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯNoun - common pluralH6635 army, war, warfare
saysאָמַר֙’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Beholdהִנְנִ֥יhin·nîInterjection; first person common singularH2005 lo! behold
I will refine themצוֹרְפָ֖םṣō·wr·p̄āmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH6884 smelt, refine, test
and test themוּבְחַנְתִּ֑יםū·ḇə·ḥan·tîmConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; third person masculine pluralH974 examine, try
forכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
whatאֵ֣יךְ’êḵInterjectionH349 How?
else can I doאֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה’e·‘ĕ·śehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH6213 do, make
because ofמִפְּנֵ֖יmip·pə·nêPreposition-m; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
the daughterבַּת־baṯ-Noun - feminine singular constructH1323 daughter
of My peopleעַמִּֽי׃‘am·mîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH5971 people

Jeremiah 9:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Their tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֖םlə·šō·w·nāmNoun - common singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3956 tongue
are deadlyשׁוֹחֵטšō·ḥēṭVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularH7819 slaughter, beat
arrowsחֵ֥ץḥêṣNoun - masculine singularH2671 arrow
they speakדִבֵּ֑רḏib·bêrVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
deceptionמִרְמָ֣הmir·māhNoun - feminine singularH4820 deceit, treachery
With his mouthבְּפִ֗יוbə·p̄îwPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH6310 mouth
a man speaksיְדַבֵּ֔רyə·ḏab·bêrVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
peaceשָׁל֤וֹםšā·lō·wmNoun - masculine singularH7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
toאֶת־’eṯ-PrepositionH854 with
his neighborרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙rê·‘ê·hūNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7453 shouting, roar
but in his heartוּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹū·ḇə·qir·bōwConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7130 inward part, midst
he setsיָשִׂ֥יםyā·śîmVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
a trap for himאָרְבּֽוֹ׃’ā·rə·bōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH696 ambuscade

Jeremiah 9:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Should I notלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
punishאֶפְקָד־’ep̄·qāḏ-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH6485 attend to, visit, muster, appoint
themבָּ֖םbāmPreposition; third person masculine plural
forהַעַל־ha·‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
these thingsאֵ֥לֶּה’êl·lehPronoun - common pluralH428 these
declaresנְאֻם־nə·’um-Noun - masculine singular constructH5002 utterance
the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
Should I notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
avengeתִתְנַקֵּ֖םṯiṯ·naq·qêmVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singularH5358 avenge, take vengeance
Myselfנַפְשִֽׁי׃סnap̄·šîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
onאִ֚ם’imConjunctionH518 if
such a nationבְּג֣וֹיbə·ḡō·wPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH1471 nation, people
as thisכָּזֶ֔הkā·zehPreposition-k; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Jeremiah 9:4 Micah 7:5–6 · Proverbs 26:24–25 · Psalm 12:2–3 · Proverbs 25:18 · Leviticus 19:16 · Proverbs 10:18 · Jeremiah 6:28 · Matthew 10:21 · Proverbs 6:16 · Psalm 15:3 · Proverbs 6:19 · Genesis 27:35–36

Jeremiah 9:5 Micah 6:12 · Isaiah 59:13–15 · Job 15:5 · Habakkuk 2:13 · Isaiah 57:10 · Psalm 7:14 · Psalm 64:3 · Job 11:3 · 1 Timothy 4:2 · Proverbs 4:16 · Isaiah 5:18 · Ezekiel 24:12

Jeremiah 9:6 Jeremiah 13:10 · Hosea 4:6 · Proverbs 1:24 · John 3:19–20 · Romans 1:28 · Jeremiah 20:10 · Jeremiah 5:27 · Jeremiah 8:5 · Jeremiah 11:19 · Proverbs 1:29 · Job 21:14–15 · Jeremiah 18:18

Jeremiah 9:7 Isaiah 1:25 · Isaiah 48:10 · Jeremiah 6:27 · Malachi 3:3 · Zechariah 13:9 · Hosea 11:8–9 · 1 Peter 1:7 · 1 Peter 4:12 · Jeremiah 6:29–30 · Ezekiel 22:18–22

Jeremiah 9:8 Psalm 28:3 · Proverbs 26:24–26 · Psalm 120:3 · Psalm 64:3–4 · 2 Samuel 3:27 · Psalm 55:21 · Jeremiah 9:3 · Psalm 57:4 · Psalm 12:2 · 2 Samuel 20:9–10 · Jeremiah 5:26 · Jeremiah 9:5

Jeremiah 9:9 Jeremiah 5:29 · Jeremiah 5:9 · Isaiah 1:24

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.